Padlocked Hearts
by Creed
Summary: *YAOI RikuxSora* HAS SPOILERS. After the door was finally closed Riku finds himself in a new dimension, the collective worlds of Squaresoft! There the heartless are more powerful and the keyholes more intricate. With Riku and Sora finally reunited can the
1. Default Chapter

*YAOI RikuxSora* NOTE:Contains spoilers. After the door was finally closed Riku finds himself in a new dimension, the collective worlds of Squaresoft! There the heartless are more powerful and the keyholes more intricate. With Riku and Sora finally reunited can they overcome odds and old scars to save it?  
  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Another story that promises to be a monster. ¬_¬ Note that this is chock full of spoilers for the ending of kingdom hearts. It's got yaoi too so don't read this is that doesn't tickle your fancy. ^.^*  
  
This is a draft. My pre-reader has been swallowed by school so all error's are my fault, though unintentionally. I'm hunting for pre-reader's now so if anyone's willing give me a mail at crimson_jaded@yahoo.com! Well, I ~pray~ that you like it. Don't bonk me if you don't. Get Ansem, not me. ^.^* Inspired by the secret ending which was really kool!  
  
Kingdom Hearts and everything related to the game aren't mine!  
  
~*Padlocked Hearts*~  
//Prologue//  
  
Shadows played in the flickering candlelight as the youth slept   
restlessly. Long silvery hair hid the boy's eyes, strands cast aglow by the moonlight that managed to seep through the thin curtains.  
  
Pale pinks lips parted slowly and a whisper so soft that it was almost   
a breath escaped.  
  
"Sora..."  
  
Even in sleep, Riku couldn't find rest.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sora! We can do do this together!"  
  
"Riku!"  
  
Blue eyes met green, the silence that suddenly fell between them   
holding more meaning than whatever words they could have said. The two   
youths then struggled to close the door to Kingdom Hearts with what   
power they had left from the trying battle.  
  
Riku's heart fell as he saw Sora's strength waver, and yet the resolve of the keymaster's heart refused to back down and give up. The destiny of so many worlds weighed on his shoulder. The happiness of friends both new and old were at stake.  
  
Riku closed his eyes, refusing to look at Sora a moment longer. The   
guilt was returning, the guilt of accepting the responsibility that he   
had made things even harder on everyyone. He was weak, the darkness catching hold of him so easily. Then Ansem had even taken control of his body, nearly destroying everything Riku had sought to protect.  
  
Kairi... the girl he loved.  
  
Sora... the boy he had tried to keep from loving.  
  
He had almost destroyed the dreams of the two people dearest to him.  
  
Then a savior had come, the King of Sora's two friends. With Mickey's   
help the door began to close. Riku allowed himself a small smile as his vision of Sora began to narrow.  
  
"Take care of her."  
  
Thin brows furrowed, a small nod was the only answer.  
  
Then the door closed.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
"-ku! Riku! Hey Riku wake up!"  
  
Green eyes flashed open in surprise, keyblade gripped tightly in hand as Rike slipped into wakefulness. Fatigue caused his vision to blur. All Riku could see was a familiar white toothed grin, charm gracing every inch of it.  
  
His heart leaped. "Sora..?"  
  
"Sora?!" The speaker's bright laugh, a notch deeper than Sora's voice had been, was like a slap of reality to Riku's hope. "Who's that? An old girlfriend?"  
  
"Zidane." Riku's companion's elfin face came into view as his vision   
cleared. "What do you want?"  
  
"Well, I just wanted to ask if you had dinner yet. It's on me!"   
Aquamarine eyes shone winningly. "I owe you buddy. We couldn't have   
cleared this village of heartless without you."  
  
Standing up Riku went to wash his face in the basin. "I'll be right   
down."  
  
"Okay! Better hurry though! Quina might finish all the food in this inn if you don't!" With a small wave Zidane disappeared out the door,   
shutting it behind him.  
  
Water dripped from silver strands and Riku remained where he was. Cloaked in black he almost looked like the heartless he fough against. How strange that he was still dreaming about something that had happened two years ago. Sora... he hadn't seen his friend since the door to Kingdom Hearts had closed.  
  
Well, there was no use mulling about the past. Destiny Islands was in   
another dimension, safe from the heartless. This small collection of   
worlds were the shadow creatures' new prey.  
  
To atone for his past crimes, Riku had to continue to fight the Heartless. And the only time he would find rest is when all the dimension keyholes within Kingdom Hearts were closed.  
  
~TBC~  
Next Chapter: Final Fantasy IX  
  
Aiyah! Review's will me much appreciated now. And will prolly get me off my little hiney. Explanation of the dimension keyhole thingey's in the first chapter! ^-^ 


	2. Final Fantasy IX

Author's Notes:  
Ha. Next chapter done fairly quickly. Mostly thanks to the inspiring   
Kingdom Hearts soundtrack I just bought impulsively today. ^_~ Kinda rushed though methinks.  
  
Came from the zoo. Is it just me or are the animals you always want to   
see usually aren't even there. Stoo-pid tigers. Went just to see them   
and they were... gone. ;_;  
  
~sighs~ This is just a draft btw. Will be subjected to further editing   
when I'm not lazy.  
  
Just to let you know what the signs mean:  
//FlashBacks//  
"Spoken aloud"  
'Thought'  
~*Person's POV*~  
  
Kingdom Hearts isn't mine!  
  
~*Padlocked Hearts*~  
Chapter 1: Final Fantasy IX  
  
//Up close the seemingly shapeless pools of light the heartless had   
emerged from were strikingly clear.  
  
Keyholes?!  
  
"Yup. They're keyholes." Riku looked over his shoulder as King Mickey   
approached. "Ansem didn't realize just how big of a door Kingdom Hearts   
is. It's not just the heart of our dimension, our collection of worlds,   
but the heart of many others as well." A white gloved hand pointed to   
one keyhole which stood out by it's contrasting gold color. "Our   
dimension's keyhole is gold since it's been sealed. But there are so   
many others that need to be kept safe from the heartless as well."  
  
Riku's green eyes narrowed as he took in all the other keyholes. There   
had to be more than a hundred!  
  
"I gotta get going now!" Mickey approached one of the pools of light   
and waved goodbye to Riku. "I can't just stand here and do nothing.   
Until Sora finds us there's no way out. He's the only one who can   
open the door to the light. I might as well help other dimensions while   
waiting!"  
  
In a sudden blinding flash the boy suddenly found himself alone.   
Silence was all that remained with him. Then clenching his fists he   
stood abruptly and thrust his hand into one of the keyholes.  
  
Light.  
  
Warmth.  
  
Then darkness.//  
  
~*Riku*~  
  
"Ah, Riku." Dagger welcomed me with a small smile. "Are you hungry?   
Quina managed not to eat everything."  
  
"Thanks to me!" Eiko's emerald eyes flashed. "I managed to convince her   
there are more 'tasties' over in the next inn."  
  
I took a seat next to black mage Vivi and nodded my thanks to the Eiko.   
I've only known this small group for three days yet Quina's affinity   
for food was made quite clear to me from the beginning. "Is she really   
that bad?"  
  
"Bad is an understatement." Zidane was slouched across of me in an   
easygoing position. Waving a drumstick lazily in the air he explained,   
"The only reason he... she... whatever sex it is! Well, -it- joined us   
just to get a chance to eat new things. Enemies included."  
  
I took a bit of the hot stew, allowing myself a small sigh of   
contentment as the deep rich taste filled my tongue. It had been awhile   
since I'd last eaten. I finished the bowl in no time at all. When the   
waitress took it away another bowl was suddenly pushed into place. I   
glanced at Vivi who had offered it. "Vivi?"  
  
The small mage twiddled his thumbs nervously, unbearably shy. "Yo-you   
just seemed hungry still... that's all. You can have it. I already ate   
alot."  
  
Eiko giggled. "Vivi's so sweet!"  
  
The black mage started to tug his hat down, golden eyes downcast in   
embarrassment. "I-it's nothing..."  
  
Suddenly the door to the inn swung open and the other two members of   
Zidane's group appeared. The Dragon Knight Freya and the Alexandria   
Knight Stiener. Freya walked immediately to Zidane's side and announced. "We discovered where the heartless are coming from!"  
  
"Yes! But from a very unreliable source!" Stiener's armor squeaked with every movement. "I don't think we can trust this -stranger-."  
  
Zidane sat up and stretched. "Oh shut up rusty! Any information on the   
heartless is welcome! We don't know anything about them."  
  
Freya rested on her spear. "The stranger said that he had noticed they   
seemed to be coming from the Iifa tree. It would be wise if we went   
that way."  
  
I took a small sip from my glass of water before joining into the   
conversation. "If that's where the heartless are coming from, that's   
where the keyhole I'm looking for is. If none of you mind I'll remain   
with your party until I finish with my business."  
  
"Oh! It's no bother at all!" Dagger's girlish smile was suddenly a shadow of Kairi's. "Infact Zidane was planning to ask you to stay a bit longer. Your blade is quite effective against the heartless."  
  
I tightened my grip on my keyblade. The power to unlock hearts... I had only managed to seal only one dimension's keyhole. I wasn't sure how   
many Mickey had managed to seal by now, perhaps more than I have. I   
still had so much to do, how much time I had left I wasn't sure. Until   
Sora found me I-  
  
My thoughts were interrupted when Zidane stood up and moved to slap me   
on the shoulder. "It's settled then! Me, Dagger, Vivi and Riku will   
tend to the Iifa tree. Stiener, Freya, Eiko and Quina can continue to   
protect the surrounding villages against the heartless!"  
  
"Why do I gotta stay?!" Eiko pouted. It was suddenly obvious how much   
she cared for Zidane.  
  
Freya gave her a look. "We need a healer here as well. And your   
summonings are less effective against the heartless than Dagger's so   
it's best you refrain from throwing yourself into the fray."  
  
"I... I guess."  
  
"We leave tomorrow!" Zidane patted Vivi's head. "Make sure your all   
packed by tonight!"  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
At the borders of the town three cloaked figures gathered.  
  
A deep slightly dopey voiced announce. "I heard from one of the   
villagers that them heartless are coming from some Leafa tree!"  
  
"Iifa tree!" A nasal voice interrupted.  
  
"Yeah! Just what I said, Iifa tree!"  
  
"Well, that's where we're going then!" Blue eyes flashed from beneath   
the shadows of one of the cloaks. "Where there's a keyhole, that's   
where we'll find him!"  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
~*Zidane*~  
  
We broke into the heart of the Iifa tree at full speed, Vivi's dark   
magic spell 'Flare' clearing our path. I suddenly stopped in place,   
Riku slamming into me from behind.  
  
"Zidane?! What are you doing?" He looked like he was about to blow some steam so I flashed a wide grin to calm him down. It worked like a charm of course. It was only yesterday that I finally figured out why. Seems that expression reminds him of some old friend, maybe something more than a friend even.  
  
Sora was a girls name, right?  
  
"This is the heart of the Iifa tree! Try looking for your keyhole   
thingy here!" I gestured towards his weapon.  
  
Riku's expression turned serious. Well, he's always serious but this   
expression was -even- more serious than usual. If that was even   
possible for him. My new buddy could win a 'who changes expression   
first' contest against a rock.   
  
Riku then closed his eyes and held his keyblade out in front of him.   
Vivi continued to cast 'Flare', keeping the enemies at bay, while   
Dagger healed us all to full health with 'Curaga'. Finally, unlike a   
few rooms ago, Riku's weapon began to glow and a keyhole appeared to   
the left of us. We made our way to it as fast as we could. If what Riku said was right, once this keyhole was sealed new heartless couldn't   
come in.  
  
That right now sounded -real- good. Dealing with Kuja and the heartless at the same time wasn't easy.  
  
When we finally reached it I pushed Vivi back. "Get some rest little   
buddy. I'll take care of what's left." Swinging my butterfly sword   
cleanly through the stampeding heartless I couldn't help but wonder what was taking Riku so long to seal it. "Hey?! Is that thing closed yet?"  
  
"I... I can't do it."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Dagger eyes were wide with worry. "Why not?"  
  
"I don't know... my keyblade's not responding! It found the keyhole but it won't seal it!" Riku punched the wall in frustration, one of the   
first real expression's I've seen him wear. "I-it just won't!"  
  
"Zidane! Look out!" Vivi's voice made me turn around swiftly and look   
up. And up. And up. That thing was huge!  
  
"A behemoth." Riku stated calmly. Oh, -now- he's calm.  
  
"What the hell's a behemo-" Without warning a heavy foot came slamming   
down on me. I struggled beneath its massive weight darkness creeping   
into my vision. Through the ringing in my ears I could hear Dagger's   
voice. Then I couldn't hear anything at all.  
  
~*Riku*~  
  
Zidane suddenly was so still beneath the monster's foot that I felt my   
heart stop. Leaping forward I started to hack at it, vainly trying to   
get it to move.  
  
"Zidane!" Dagger was nearly hysterical. Waving her wand in intricate   
patterns she proceeded to summon. A beautiful blue skinned lady   
appeared, quickly launching an ice attack at Behemoth's unprotected   
horn. The creature moved back, freeing Zidane's prone body.  
  
Leaving him to Dagger I leaped into the air and launched an aerial   
combo at the now significantly weakened monster. It fell on one knee and with an Aerial Sweep I finished it off. I then turned quickly back to my comrades.  
  
"He's going to be all right..." Dagger announced tearfully with a   
smile.  
  
I gazed at the keyhole, it opened state mocking me. Why wouldn't it   
lock? What was so different about this dimension's keyholes? Then a   
bright beam of light shot over my shoulder and into the keyhole, a   
resounding 'click' of a door being locked sounding.  
  
"Well, that fixes that huh?"  
  
That light play of words, despite its deeper sound, was painfully   
familiar.  
  
"Seems like this dimension's keyholes need two keyblades. One to find   
them, the other to lock them. Don't you think so?"  
  
I turn slowly, the tall lanky figure standing before me so different from the image in my memories yet familiar all the same.  
  
"Long time no see."  
  
Messy spiked brown hair spilled down his back, tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.  
  
"Huh, Riku?"  
  
Blue eyes a deep ocean shade were looking me over the same way I was   
looking at him. I took a numbed step forward and was rewarded with a brilliant grin.  
  
"Sora..?"  
  
~TBC~  
  
Next:  
Chapter Two: Reunion. To the world with two sides.  
  
Well... are things getting more confusing? I hope not. . 


End file.
